Immunity boosting – The amino acids in bone broths have been scientifically linked to increased immunity. There’s a reason that your mom always made you chicken soup when you were sick! The broth can also battle common cold symptoms, since it has anti-inflammatory properties.

Nutrient dense – Bone broth is one of the most nutrient rich foods that there is, especially when you make it with vegetables and herbs. This is yet another reason why it is the perfect tonic when you are sick. If you have MTHFR or Celiac (or both, lucky me), these conditions affect your ability to absorb nutrients. Bone broths are one of the most direct ways to replenish nutrients since it is so easy to digest, making the absorption of vitamins and minerals easier on your body.

Collagen – Collagen is a protein that promotes healthy skin, hair, and nails, and luckily bone broths are full of it! I wouldn’t necessarily consider this property “healing,” but who doesn’t love a healthy glow? I’m not sure how scientifically accurate this is, but I have also read that bone broths contain anti-aging properties. I will let you know in a couple years if that’s true 🙂

Ingredients

Carcass of 1 roasted chicken (I usually get a rotisserie chicken from the deli at my grocery store, remove the meat to be used for other recipes, and save the bones/skin/a bit of meat on the bones for broth).

Water

1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar

4 teaspoons of salt

Herbs to taste (I use rosemary, thyme, and parsley)

4 tablespoons of minced garlic

1 onion, chopped in large pieces

2 celery stalks, chopped

2 large carrots, chopped

Juice from half a lemon

Zest of half a lemon

Optional: red pepper flakes or ground black pepper

Instructions:

Place the chicken carcass (there should really be a better word for that) in an extra large stove-top soup pot and fill it with just enough (filtered) water to cover the bones.

Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring well to prevent burning. Once boiling, cover the pot and reduce heat to low. It should keep boiling on low.

Allow the broth to simmer on low for 6-8 hours, stirring every 40-60 minutes. Keep the pot covered when not stirring. I recommend doing a full 8 hours if you can for better flavor and nutritional benefits.

In the last hour, add the lemon juice and re-cover to keep it from evaporating.

After the 6-8 hours is up, turn the burner off and let it sit until it is no longer boiling. While still hot, pour the contents of the pot through a strainer into a large bowl. That should remove all the chunks, leaving you with just the broth (and a few stray herbs).

There are several different ways to store the broth once it is made. If you plan on using it within the next 4 days, I recommend keeping it in a large mason jar in the refrigerator. It will turn into a jello-like consistency because of the gelatin, but will return to its liquid form once heated again.

If you want to keep it on hand for next time you are sick (or get glutened), freeze it in an ice cube tray so it’s ready to heat up when you need it.

This bone broth can be used as a base for soup, a flavor booster for rice or pasta (boiling it with the water to cook), or just heated up in a mug to drink like tea.

If you want to read more about the health benefits of bone broth, here are a few good articles: